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Instant Rails 2.0 Update, Instant Rails 2.0 Lite Coming…

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Since taking over the Instant Rails project from Curt Hibbs, I have been able to get Instant Rails 2.0 out the door before the end of 2007, not by much but it did happen.   Thank you to everyone who gave me support and to readers for the comments.  So, I wanted to take a moment to let everyone know what is coming with Instant Rails in the near term.

I have gotten over the learning curve of the whole build and update process on RubyForge, it was pretty painless.  Those guys over there do a great job!  I have received a fair amount of feedback on the current release and I have stepped back and thought about them and how to proceed.

I am planning a introduce a second version of Instant Rails 2.0, to be called Instant Rails 2.0 Lite.  This version will similar to the standard version but will have the following removed:

  • Apache
  • MySQL
  • phpMyAdmin
  • PHP

This will:

  • Bring the size of the download way down
  • Bring the size on disk way down
  • Allow users who already have MySQL and/or Apache to run Instant Rails 2.0 Lite without conflicts.

Access to the command-line will be improved to make it easier so users can go from running Instant Rails to running a Ruby application very quickly.

Instant Rails 2.0 Lite will include the following:

  • Ruby 1.8.6-26
  • Rails 2.0.2
  • Mongrel
  • SQLite3
  • RubyGems
  • Rake
  • Capistrano
  • CookBook Sample Application with Rails 2.0.2 & SQLite3 support.

I hope this makes some users happy.  The standard version of Instant Rails 2.0 will remain the same, supported and updated.  I think two versions will cover more users and the new version will have a smaller, lighter footprint.  When will this happen?  Well, not sure yet but I would like to get the leg work done of the next couple weeks and posted in early February.  I am being conservative, if I can make it happen sooner, I will.

Please let me know what you think.

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Comments

  1. Shree M. says

    Great news Rob.

    I did download IR 2.0 and will be on the lookout for this lite version, and hope there would be a two fold increase in the number of downloads and acceptance of Instant Rails as a default Development platform.

    What is the plan on the usage of the current GUI for the Lite version. Does that still stay, or do you want to go all command prompt driven.

    -Shree

  2. Shree M. says

    Great news Rob.
    I did download IR 2.0 and will be on the lookout for this lite version, and hope there would be a two fold increase in the number of downloads and acceptance of Instant Rails as a default Development platform.
    What is the plan on the usage of the current GUI for the Lite version. Does that still stay, or do you want to go all command prompt driven.
    -Shree

  3. Parag kantharia says

    Hi Rob,

    Great Idea.

    Can i add some more touch to it…

    It would be nice if you kindly create a mini tutorial of implementing this Instant Rails lite with Netbeans IDE.

    Since Netbeans is great and free, it would make this a wonderful tutorial.

    Ruby in Steel is also out and sells for $49 only. It would be great to make another tutorial that implements Ruby in Steel with Instant Rails lite 2.0.

    Ask for more suggestions and make a tutorial which is most wanted. Netbeans will be the most wanted thats for sure.

    Thanks

    Parag Kantharia

  4. Parag kantharia says

    Hi Rob,
    Great Idea.
    Can i add some more touch to it…
    It would be nice if you kindly create a mini tutorial of implementing this Instant Rails lite with Netbeans IDE.
    Since Netbeans is great and free, it would make this a wonderful tutorial.
    Ruby in Steel is also out and sells for $49 only. It would be great to make another tutorial that implements Ruby in Steel with Instant Rails lite 2.0.
    Ask for more suggestions and make a tutorial which is most wanted. Netbeans will be the most wanted thats for sure.
    Thanks
    Parag Kantharia

  5. Rob Bazinet says

    @Shree Thanks for the support, I hope IR 2.0 is working well for you. I haven’t gotten any negative feedback. I think for the most part it works as it did before.

    I think the GUI will remain for now….The buttons and such for Apache and MySQL will be gone and I think I will put one up for getting to the command line with a touch of a button. I need to get it all working and see how the UI works from a usability standpoint.

  6. Rob Bazinet says

    @Shree Thanks for the support, I hope IR 2.0 is working well for you. I haven’t gotten any negative feedback. I think for the most part it works as it did before.
    I think the GUI will remain for now….The buttons and such for Apache and MySQL will be gone and I think I will put one up for getting to the command line with a touch of a button. I need to get it all working and see how the UI works from a usability standpoint.

  7. Rob Bazinet says

    @Parag Great ideas, thanks. I use Netbeans myself and will look into IR integration with it after I can get a Lite version out. Since IR is open source you could also take a look on how to go about integrating to Netbeans and I could attempt the implementation.

  8. Rob Bazinet says

    @Parag Great ideas, thanks. I use Netbeans myself and will look into IR integration with it after I can get a Lite version out. Since IR is open source you could also take a look on how to go about integrating to Netbeans and I could attempt the implementation.

  11. Gady says

    Hi

    thanks for the update.

    I’m using instant rails form a usb disk on key and i have a problem with the size IR takes on the drive.

    because there are thousands of files, it adds up to 1.5 Giga

    anything i can do about it ? maybe zip some unnesscary files ?

    maybe you can think of a way to decrease file count for further releases.

    Gady

  12. Gady says

    Hi
    thanks for the update.
    I’m using instant rails form a usb disk on key and i have a problem with the size IR takes on the drive.
    because there are thousands of files, it adds up to 1.5 Giga
    anything i can do about it ? maybe zip some unnesscary files ?
    maybe you can think of a way to decrease file count for further releases.
    Gady

  13. Cane says

    It would be nice with a button to toggle between having Instant Rails open publicly, to the Internet and locally, only accessible on your own computer.

  14. Cane says

    It would be nice with a button to toggle between having Instant Rails open publicly, to the Internet and locally, only accessible on your own computer.